Is this a religion forum?

[andak01]

Here are the threads as of this morning. I ask you. Is this a religion forum or an Islam bashing forum? I for one would like to see some topics pertaining to religion instead of the usual political claptrap. How about teaching me something about Judaeism and Christianity instead of barraging with hatred of my own religion?

Does Islam Allow Suicide Bombing? abu afak

Koraan: Miracles or Mistakes? ( 1 2 3 4 ) Ezra

What Would Gandhi Say? ( 1 2 ) Communication

Islamic Countries Marching Backwards ( 1 2 ) abu afak

"Jihad" + Terror, what it means ( 1 2 ) abu afak

[Islam] "Killing Christians" ( 1 2 ) abu afak

ME studies has its head in....the sand Mediocrates

'A Sermon for the West' - New Fallaci abu afak

"Islam Can't Escape Blame" - Taheri abu afak

Facts about Islam ( 1 2 3 4 ... Last page ) fair

Islam: A Defective Civilization? ( 1 2 ) abu afak

Logical Proof, Islam DOES SUPPORT Terrorism ( 1 2 3 4 ... Last page ) abu afak

Muslims (and others) debate Islam (please be respectful, people) ( 1 2 3 4 ... Last page ) L@mplighterM

Scud Missile Mosques! MichaelC

Islam's half-hearted opposition to mass murder ( 1 2 3 4 ... Last page ) ibrodsky

Beauty Pageants Can Be Murder! abu afak

The MASSACRE at DAMOUR, 1976 abu afak

Truth about Islam richcrassus

Oh Great! J 4 Js are recruiting prisoners Teacake
FINALLY, something that isn't an attack on Islam.

The future of Battle Tanks: Death or automation, impact of the revolutionary T-95.
And how is this about religion?

[Mediocrates]

It is and it isn't, it's religion/culture. Most of those threads are variations on the same theme which, and this is purely a personal observation, a response to the "We will kill you" message, real or imagined we are bombarded with. Like pigeons home to roost it's entirely reasonable for the response to this message

"My religion my world my God will overrun you and stamp you into the dust..."

to be something along the lines of

"You are totally full of it why don't you fix your own house first?.."

At any rate I'd like to know what you think of this:

http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/ne...hp3?artid=7251


"In Search of Moderate Muslims"

received between 30 and 40 requests from around the country to participate in interfaith dialogues between Jews and Muslims.

Last year he received one.

“They just vanished,” he said during an interview last week. “Such invitations are a barometer of the level of dialogue, though my experience may not be representative because of my own idiosyncrasies.”

The “idiosyncrasies” to which he was referring, if a bit obliquely, center on the strong reactions to his urging fellow Muslims to speak out against the radical elements of Islam that he maintains have gained controlling influence through the “puritanical” form of the religion promoted by Saudi Arabia.

El Fadl, 39, who was raised in Kuwait and Egypt, has been writing critically of fundamentalist Islam for years in scholarly articles and books, most recently “The Place of Tolerance in Islam.” But he gained international attention — and a flurry of death threats — after publishing an op-ed article in the Los Angeles Times three days after the Sept. 11 attacks in which he asserted that the suicide missions were not a deviation from mainstream Islam but rather the result of an “ethically oblivious form” of the religion that “has predominated since the 1970s.”

Such opinions have garnered admiration for El Fadl in some quarters of the Jewish community, where he is praised for intellectual honesty and bravery. Others, though, are far more skeptical.

<snip>


I admit I can't distinguish religion from politics here.

[andak01]

El Fadl says much the same as to why he believes in dialogue. “Without it we end up inventing each other,” he told me

This much I agree with. I have seen Pipes and other non-Muslims touted again and again as experts on Islam. How can it be that none of the experts are Muslim? There is a huge amount of disinformation and spin out on the web and elsewhere. I have even come across Koranic sites run by Christians in order to deliberately mislead people. Recently, I saw a Frontline report labled 'Saudi Timebomb'. I read their website in depth and discovered that only two members of a crew of 50 were Muslim. Neither was in an editorial role (I think they were grips and cameramen). Further, nobody travelled to Saudi Arabia during a report that was supposed to expose things going on there. With one exception, the Saudis that they chose to interview were political exiles, Shiites speaking out about Sunni Islam. I have great respect for much of the reporting that Frontline does, but if this is unbiased journalism, I'll eat my hat!

Go look at the bestseller list of books on Islam in the past couple of years and tell me what percentage were written by Muslims. Those who are allowed to speak are asking that we say our prayers in English, eat pork and start hanging out in bars. Although that may be the message that westerners want to hear, it isn't getting us any closer to an understanding, and most Muslims find that sort of talk offensive.

[Frans_1]

other non-Muslims touted again and again as experts on Islam. How can it be that none of the experts are Muslim?

Very recently on this board, strategist said something like that when he was talking about his IDF service and who was sufficiently Jewish or Israeli enough to argue with him.

In general, what does that line of reasoning say of , for example, The 101 Dalmatians ?

If you have a better argument, you are going to show you have better reasons, not better personal pedigree.

[andak01]

Originally posted by Frans_1
Very recently on this board, strategist said something like that when he was talking about his IDF service and who was sufficiently Jewish or Israeli enough to argue with him.

In general, what does that line of reasoning say of , for example, The 101 Dalmatians ?

If you have a better argument, you are going to show you have better reasons, not better personal pedigree.

I wasn't aware that a religion forum was supposed to be a win/lose proposition. I thought it was about sharing. How careless of me. Certainly if I wanted information about the IDF, I would want to speak to people in the IDF as well as their critics. And if someone from the IDF was kind enough to share information with me, I would be inclined to withhold criticism at least long enough to be informed. What I would not do (if I really wanted to be informed instead of spreading hatred), is to paste articles from pro-Palestinian sites and then accuse the IDF person of being a liar a priori.

[abu afak]

Originally posted by andak01
Here are the threads as of this morning. I ask you. Is this a religion forum or an Islam bashing forum? I for one would like to see some topics pertaining to religion instead of the usual political claptrap. How about teaching me something about Judaeism and Christianity instead of barraging with hatred of my own religion?

Does Islam Allow Suicide Bombing? abu afak

Koraan: Miracles or Mistakes? ( 1 2 3 4 ) Ezra

What Would Gandhi Say? ( 1 2 ) Communication

Islamic Countries Marching Backwards ( 1 2 ) abu afak

"Jihad" + Terror, what it means ( 1 2 ) abu afak

[Islam] "Killing Christians" ( 1 2 ) abu afak

ME studies has its head in....the sand Mediocrates

'A Sermon for the West' - New Fallaci abu afak

"Islam Can't Escape Blame" - Taheri abu afak

Facts about Islam ( 1 2 3 4 ... Last page ) fair

Islam: A Defective Civilization? ( 1 2 ) abu afak

Logical Proof, Islam DOES SUPPORT Terrorism ( 1 2 3 4 ... Last page ) abu afak

Muslims (and others) debate Islam (please be respectful, people) ( 1 2 3 4 ... Last page ) L@mplighterM

Scud Missile Mosques! MichaelC

Islam's half-hearted opposition to mass murder ( 1 2 3 4 ... Last page ) ibrodsky

Beauty Pageants Can Be Murder! abu afak

The MASSACRE at DAMOUR, 1976 abu afak

Truth about Islam richcrassus

Oh Great! J 4 Js are recruiting prisoners Teacake
FINALLY, something that isn't an attack on Islam.

The future of Battle Tanks: Death or automation, impact of the revolutionary T-95.
And how is this about religion?

They're almost All Right On Topic of Relgion/Culture, if not all complimentary.

I'm sure you can think of something nice to say about what's going on with Islam today..... but you'd have to be ignoring the News... and this is a message board, talking mostly about current events.

Please feel free to start any Relevant string you like including.. "Islam: Religion of Peace"
or maybe even .... "Cultural Triumphs of the Palestinian Authority".

Good Luck, abu

[Communication]

Hmm, my thread about Ghandi fit into the "culture" category and had nothing to do with Islam at first, until well...you introduced it yourself.

[Achihud]

Here are the threads as of this morning.

I am a bit curious, is it the same, better or worse now?

Hmm, my thread about Ghandi fit into the "culture" category and had nothing to do with Islam at first, until well...you introduced it yourself.

LOL, women’s sensitivity!

[JesusRules]

Dear andak01,

I would love to talk about Jesus.

[Achihud]

I am a bit curious, is it the same, better or worse now?

Was it a painful question?

[Alfred E Neuman]

When you are at war it is tough to find nice things to say about the other side.

And we must admit it....Islam, Christianity and Judaism are at war with each other. Christians and Islam are at war; Judaism and Christianity are at war with each other, and Islam and Judaism are at war.

But I agree. We can talk of those things on all the other forums.

I enjoy the comparitive discussions here....because you are right; Daniel Pipes is not the best person to talk to about Islam or Christianity.

[Agnosthiest]

Judaism and Christianity are at war with each other

what made you say that?

[Alfred E Neuman]

They are in North America.

Just about every moral stand that Christians make, the Jews are against...and visa versa. Same goes for politics.

We are on opposites sides on most all issues.

(generally speaking of course)

[Jayhawker Soule]

Just about every moral stand that Christians make, the Jews are against...and visa versa.

Ah, insipid replacement theology raises its ugly head. The comment is nonsense at best, antisemitic at worst. The fact is, just about every moral stand that [some] Christians make, [some] Christians are against...and visa versa.

[Pandora]

alfred-you are making generalizations-can't paint everyone with the same brush-I've even heard of Jews who are decent people-pa-ZING!! te he haha